The sea was turbulent deep in the night, no calmness under a stormy surface even in the depths where he usually hunted. Couldn't even be sure if it had been some mistake of his or if it had truly just been poor lucky despite how long the area had been his. Felt as if he'd known every currant, but even he'd felt something was wrong when he'd gone out to hunt, caught up in some freak accident that sent him spiraling; blood trailing in the water.
Hell, even he wouldn't remember exactly what happened, a blow enough to knock him out and leave him to the mercy of the ocean itself.
Blood stained the sand as the tide left him on some beach, a cove of sorts, tangled in a mess of seaweed and what was left of some thick roped net. Skin and scale both ripped through, deep gashes along his form, hair matted to part of his forehead both from drying seawater and the amount of blood from where skin had split from the hit taken hard enough to render him unconscious still. Dumped by the sea like some lifeless animal carcass that had been too buoyant to sink and instead been caught on tide then waves to end up there.
Jack hadn't been a fisherman more than a handful of years, preferring the work the land rather than sail on the unpredictable sea. He had gone out this way and settled into that life after an extensive military career and the quiet life was not to his taste. He'd sold the family farm after his parents had passed away, moved out East, bought a boat and learned how to navigate the seas.
Sleep wasn't an easy concept to grasp these days, so he was usually out before light, before even the other fishermen had left the warmth of their houses. He walked along the rough shoals, letting the cold hostile wind churn up his short hair even as he pulled his collar higher on his jacket. The walk was good for him, eased an unwelcomed energy that pervaded him many hours of every day.
And finding dead or wounded animals wasn't out of his scope. It's why he always carried supplies with him in a pack as he walked. Bucket, tarp, shovel, flares and rifle and shot. There was no point letting a creature suffer after all, but if he could save them, he would. He'd taken enough life to want to put a hand forward to save what he could.
So when he saw a fleshy lump in the distance, he thought it was a porpoise or some other type of creature. It wasn't until he drew closer that the shape was all wrong, the length of body, the fact there was hair that drew him to a stop. That wasn't any kind of sea creature he had seen before, and he'd made certain to do his research before coming out to these parts.
At the local watering hole, there was of course old fisherman's tales. People of these parts were very superstitious, so the fact there was an old wive's tale of an ancient creature that was half man, half fish wasn't unusual. He'd taken it with a grain of salt, but there had been times when he arrived that he thought he had seen something in the shadow of his boat as he struggled to learn what he had to about the sea in calm and rough waters.
Jack approached cautiously until he was staring down at the very tale he hadn't believed lay right in front of him. There was blood, a lot of it, and those wounds needed tending. The tail aspect that was in water was already being picked at by sea creatures like crabs and fish who were opportunistic. He slowly crouched and reached out to touch cold skin and he was immediately able to pick up a slow but steady pulse.
"I'll be damned," he muttered as he looked over the impressive man... fish, thing? Merman, wasn't it? Either way, this creature was alive and badly injured. "Guess I can't call conservation about you, can I?"
For some reason, he also wasn't of the opinion he could call on the other fishermen and their families either. Like this was something special. Normally, he wouldn't care, but there was a jarring sense of familiarity when he looked at that face. No, this was for him to deal with.
He tarped what he could of the tail, securing it up closer to the body and using a thermal blanket around the body to both prevent blood from getting everywhere and to keep the merman warm. Add some extra water in both and then he was putting his 'catch of the day' across his shoulders and trudging back to the town and his shore front house. It was still early enough where people were just starting their day when he forced his way back into his house as quietly as possible.
Through his small house, and he was depositing his catch into the bathtub. He plugged it, kept the thermal blanket on and then took his buckets and went down to the ocean to haul up water to fill the tub with. Back and forth until the task was done and then he was rolling up his sleeves, grabbing his extensive first-aid kit and settled in to start stitching up all the long gashes that he could find.
Fortunately the catch of the day didn't stir while being wrapped up, carried, or placed in the tub. Limp and so far out of it there was no trouble at all, pale from blood loss and likely cold for the same reason, the chill of the air having not helped there at all. Already covered in a few scars, injuries now would likely just be added to those if he survived this. Head lolled against the side of the tub, unmoving while it was filled up; again, likely more fortunate than not given his condition.
Even at first, when the stitching started there was no movement other than the flutter of the gills along his sides in the water, sign enough that he was breathing. A slight rise and fall to his chest as well, eyelids fluttering due to what was slight movement beneath them.
The sea water in the tub was tinting red from all the injuries, the mix of salt and iron hard to miss in such an enclosed space. That was what was starting to pull him out of unconsciousness, tail twitching—
There was a low snarl of warning soon enough, muscles tensing and eyes boring in to the man's skull with the narrowed look locked on him then. Lips curled enough to bare sharp teeth with that noise growing still in his throat.
Jack had been doing something like this for years, though he was normally more familiar with the person in question or at least there would be a uniform involved. It turned out that merman skin was actually different and thicker than human skin. It required more concentration on his part, which was why he missed the little tail twitches at first.
He paused in his work at the low snarl, lifting his eye from the long gash he had been putting back together to stare at the hauntingly familiar but unidentifable face resting against the top of his bathtub. He kept his motions slow and readable as he shifted back to sit up more, fingers still bloodied and holding the suture.
"Easy now," he murmured softly. "You've been badly hurt, and I'm warming you up and putting you back together. I know it hurts, but you're losing a lot of blood. These need to be closed or you might bleed out."
He had no idea what merman spoke honestly. Didn't all the stupid fantasy books give them a language of their own? He understood there was danger here, but he was tired. He knew he could get away well enough. His rifle was nearby if things went sideways, but he would prefer to avoid destroying this massive magnificent creature.
The only reason he hadn't pulled away with that sound was due to the size of the tub and because they blanket he'd been wrapped in was still there, too. The most he could have done, that would have still done damage, was likely give the man one hell of a hit with that tail of his; pure muscle most of it was.
Eyes still tracked him as he moved, head still rested against the tub with how tired he felt. Weak due to that blood loss, and he could smell it in the water. Hell, most of what he could smell was his own blood with how much of it covered him still.
His nose wrinkled a bit- "The get it over with," croaked, voice rough from either disuse or how much time he spent in saltwater; hell, even possibly due to whatever the hell put him in the condition he was in. Maybe even a mix of it all. Showed that he could speak at least, and also understood.
He was of the opinion that the creature wasn't entirely in a position to be thrashing around, but he was forced to consider it a wild animal all the same. He had expected to have to replace the water in the tub once he had finished his task or it became too murky from the blood, but it was safe and warm enough with the heater he had in the tub.
His eyebrows drew together sharply at the fact this merman spoke to him. The words were formed if croaked, as if this creature wasn't used to speaking at all, which made sense. He stared at him for a long quiet moment.
"Do you know what attacked you?"
He slowly eased in again, continued to suture up the gash with deft motions. Four down, two more to go. He worked on the next long one and had a single shorter one left after that. He kept one eye on his work and one on the merman. "I'll change your water once I'm done here. Is this... enough?"
"No. I was blind-sided while out hunting." Didn't sound pleased by it at all, "Something from above where nothing should have been."
At least he had relaxed in the tub, making it easier to stitch him up rather than if he kept tensed up. His head was still spinning, ached deeply even and there'd no doubt be some dark bruising where he had been hit. Worry about that later, but a reason he let his eyes close. Even the slightest bit of light felt like it was making the ache worse, lance through his skull with a harsh throb.
Felt worse that actively being stitched back up, really-
"I can breathe air, but not letting me dry out will help me."
"Huh," was all he could say about that. People around here weren't happy with the military testing weaponry in the water. They were told to steer well clear of certain areas. Maybe it wasn't that which had beached this creature, but if he knew the inner workings of military operations... it just might well be too.
He put that thought to rest to investigate later. He had friends in the Navy that he could reach out to, as well as those in R&D. For now, it was better that he stitch up his new housemate. That was priority, and he did it well, sealing up the last of the lacerations. No point bandaging them.
The wounds on the tail he cleaned out of sand and debris, but most of those were shallow enough to be allowed to heal. His fingers stroked over scales, feeling the smooth richness of them as he worked. He tried to be careful and delicate about that part at least.
"Sorry I don't have a bigger tub, so this will have to do."
His head was tilted back, and almost looked like he had fallen asleep despite the pain that no doubt came still with the care being put in to his wounds. Even the cleaning. Let alone from the fact he was some beast from the ocean man he should have acted more wary.
In his own ways he was, no matter how injured it wouldn't take much for him to injure any human, but the fact he was cooperating was at least some silent acceptance of the help being given. Couldn't exactly say it was trust, but perhaps it was hard to tell given just how much of an unknown he was; could just be the way of them.
His nose wrinkled a bit. "Better than nothing, and it's warm."
It didn't take a brain surgeon to realize that this creature could simply tear his head off but wasn't going to bother about it. He doubted that a brain surgeon would even know if pain medication would work on this guy either, which was the only reason he hadn't offered. After all, some human medication were poisonous to others, so it was best not to worry much about it.
He didn't exactly have marine biologists on his call list, so they were going to make do with what they had. Rest, fresh sea water and probably some food would be about what might kick-start off this relationship in a glowing way. Who knew at this point.
"You're welcome," he murmured as he cleaned the last few gashes in that tail. That done, he gathered up his supplies and neatly stored them back in his medical kit pack. "Do you need to eat? I have some fish if you're hungry."
If anything there were clues that there had been some interaction with humanity somewhere in his life, even if it was just enough to know how to speak at least one language. There was still a tenseness that could be sensed, aware of the man's movements and exactly where he was.
"Fish would be good, yes." He was hungry and would definitely accept fish- "Raw or cooked, whichever you feel like giving to me."
Doubted it would be freshly caught by his tone, but always wasn't too terribly bothered by the thought. Not about to be picky with how he felt, shifting enough as eyes re-opened, looking over some of the stitching done. Not pulling or tugging, just brushing clawed fingers along the areas briefly.
He was certain to keep his motions obvious when he decided to make them, careful with how he moved away and approached. In his mind, this could still be considered a wild animal, even if a human side was obvious. Those sharp teeth and tail could still do damage, and he hadn't brought this fascinating, if odd, myth into his house to have it destroyed.
"Alright, I have some catch from yesterday," he murmured. He hadn't gone out today yet, so it wouldn't be at peak freshness.
Rising from the chair he had, he walked to fridge that he had and pulled out a big salmon he had caught the day before. He had de-boned it, as he had been planning on finishing making filets today, but no matter. He brought it back on a plate and offered it to his new house guest. Raw but cold, he had no idea how much a merman actually ate.
"Here, it's yours. If you need more than this, tell me."
While the man was away, he shifted enough in the tub to get himself into a more comfortable position; sitting up more than he was, getting more of his tail in to the water even if it was tinted with blood still. The salt water was felt, but it was something very familiar that it was only a light stinging reminder of hos injured he was.
No matter, he would heal well enough. A hand lifting to his head, feeling and peeling hair away from his head, claws working enough to untangle the matting hair and get a clear touch of the injury there. Skin definitely split, but not deep; hadn't stopped it from bleeding badly, more irritated than not. Glancing up at the approach, hand lowering from the injury as he took the plate carefully.
The plate was rested down where flesh met scales at his waist, the fish lifted- "Thank you," was all said before those sharp teeth easily ripped in to the fish. Eating slowly all the same.
Once the fish was handed over, Jack eased over to return to his chair and leave the merman with room and opportunity to eat. For his part, he simply watched with his arms folded loosely over his chest and his feet planted on the floor. It didn't seem to him that his bathtub was big enough to handle this. He'd also have to replace the water soon.
Of course, there were old wive's tales about mermaids in these parts. He never paid much mind to them, though maybe he should have given he was currently housing a merman in his house. He doubted either of them would want to spectacle of that being revealed. No, he liked to think that they were both painfully private.
"If you want, I can arrange to take you back to the sea tonight if that would make you more comfortable," he murmured. "Otherwise, you're welcome to stay until you are fully healed again."
The entire fish was being downed despite the time being taken to devour it, likely due to a combination of injuries, how much energy had been used up and gone to waste during what had brought him to this state and, well. The fact he hadn't eaten because his hunt had been interrupted in the first place. Attention taken up well enough that he didn't mind being watched while he ate.
The last strip of meat was downed, head tilted to have an eye settled on the man, silent for a moment-
"That wouldn't be a good idea, given my condition and that I don't know if the waters have settled yet. Injured like this I would have to keep closer than I'd like to shore," very private. There was also the worry of more of his blood in the water no matter how well stitched injuries were, rather not attract attention that way either.
He was already trying to think about how he was going to explain this. He was probably going to have to resort to saying that his bathroom was leaking and that was reason enough never to have anyone come to visit him, not that many did these days. This wasn't exactly the kind of guest that he was expecting to have over.
Jack nodded his head, interlacing his fingers together in front of him and figuring that would be the answer. He was supposed to head out with the favourable seas, but that likely wasn't going to happen now that he was here and with a half-fish man in his tub. "Well, stay today and tomorrow at least."
He would head out later to have a look around for disturbances in the water and maybe a source for these injuries. There might be other sea creatures suffering because of it. "I'll head out in a few hours when the tide goes and see if there are any answers for you. Maybe a few catches as well, since I'll admit, I'm not used to feeding two these days."
"An open invitation for two days?" An eyebrow arched, licking what was left of that fish from fingertips and claws, sinking back in that tub and only then offering up the empty plate the fish had been brought to him on. "Alright," Had no reason not to accept, and he wasn't sure he wanted to risk getting back out to the ocean like this as it was. Uncomfortable as the size of the tub was it was something he could tolerate.
There was a bad storm coming, could sense it in his bones. Might come this close inland, but that was one of the reasons he'd been out hunting in the first place. Had planned to capture enough alive to bring back with him to his territory that he could wait it out.
His head tipped to one side. "I'll likely rest while you're out."
"At least," he reiterated because if this creature wasn't able to safely return to the water upon re-evaluation then he would insist on a few days. He just had no idea how fast a merman actually healed, and he expected that his new housemate might go stir-crazy in that tub for days and days on end. It wasn't exactly built for a creature with a tail after all, barely held his legs if he spread out.
He took the plate and tucked it under his arm casually. He knew he was going to have to change the water soon, bloodied as it was. Salt water would definitely help with wounds, but damn it might rot out his pipes if he kept sending it down there. Oh well, it was for a good cause, right?
"Before I head, I'll change the water. It can't be that comfortable sitting in it as it is," he said and rose to his feet again. Bustling and puttering were normal for him, kept his mind off of things so he didn't have to remember. He turned to take the plate away and stopped. "I'm Jack, by the way. Feel free to call on me when I'm in the house."
He could wait, for a while at least, though he might have to do something at the aspect of possibly being stuck in such a small thing of water for so long. Bring up an old trick not used for years, but that would have to take a lot of thought- or enough to weigh other options if he was going to be a 'guest' for as long as he may need to be. That was fine, could manage if it was truly going to be needed.
His nose wrinkled, lips pressed in to a thin line for only a moment. "You're not wrong, no." Not comfortable at all, but it had been necessary for the process- "Jack. Alright," no name given in turn, yet. If he even had one could even be the question.
Well that seemed settled enough for now. He had acquired a temporary roommate in his bathroom, and that was fine. He hadn't lived with anything in a long time, so this was something new. He couldn't say that he minded the idea as much as he thought he would be.
Maybe he was intrigued by the creature.
"I'm going to haul more fresh water for you now. It shouldn't take me long, and we'll change it up." He left without further word either.
For Jack, hauling water was just another part of physical routine. He was stronger than other men, so he had no trouble dragging large quantities up to his cabin, wind messing up his short silvered hair. He might look like a man in his forties, but he was all white and had been for a long while. It didn't matter. Physically, he could do more than anyone around these parts.
So it really didn't take him long to haul the ocean water, even if he received a few odd looks as he did so. He stepped in, hauling a massive thick plastic barrel on one shoulder to the bathroom.
"Right, you'll have to pull the plug which should be somewhere by your tail. Or I can. It will empty the tub and I'll refill it with this."
There were no words in turn, simply watching Jack leave, sunk back in that tub and left to his own devices- for a little while at least.
Gave him time to better look around the bathroom itself, pulling the blanket off of him and letting it hang over the side of the tub. Dripping on the floor yes, but he wasn't of a mind to much care about that. Hauling himself to sit on the edge of the tub a bit, more of his tail in the bloodied sea water; a better position to look, even if there wasn't that much to see.
And would be how he was found, albeit tying his hair back with something, long and curled since it had dripped dry just enough to get a spring back. Watching Jack from the corner of an eye-
Before he was leaning over and pulling the plug for the water to drain.
Maybe he should have put out a hair brush or something, but honestly, he used a comb or his fingers these days, so he wasn't certain that either would be up for coping with the sheer thickness of hair that the merman was sporting. The locks looked good tied back, and they were drying nicely as well. Sorry, no hair dryers here.
He stepped closer to watch the tub drain, expecting that being exposed to room air wouldn't actually be a problem since he had carried the other as far as he had without the benefit of water.
Once the tub was empty again, he gestured with a hand. "Alright, plug back in so I can fill it again. This water should be cleaner now that we've treated your wounds."
When the plug was replaced, Jack began to systematically refill the tub with buckets of hauled salt water. "Better?"
Clawed fingers seemed to have done the job well enough with the hair at least, and he was just glad to not have it plastered and bloodied against his skin anymore. Just a good reason he kept that thick string around his wrists, prepared enough even if he had lost a few to the currants and what caused him to wash up on the shore in the first place.
That tail of his sort of curled against the empty bottom of the tub, only moving to press the plug back in to place. Kept himself perched, only sinking back down bodily in to that tub once there was enough water in. All the better to not over-fill it with him in it.
Fingers moved through the seawater slowly, swirling it almost idly at his side. "Better. Having me here is going to cause you some inconveniences."
Back and forth he went from the barrels outside to bring enough water to fill the tub comfortably. That seemed like a job well done, even if it was very unexpected. His new house guest seemed to settle well enough, though that tail was going to be quite the challenge with how long it was. Definitely was never going to fully fit in the tub with the rest of the merman.
He set the bucket aside and shrugged his shoulders at the comment. Not a lot of people paid him that much mind, mostly because he had come here keeping to himself. He wasn't unfriendly, but he wasn't welcoming either.
"Ah well, I'm not big on baths anyway. A scrub down in a bucket isn't the worst thing I've had to do for hygiene." He ignored all the other complications for now. He figured he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.
"A bucket." Really? "Do you not have a shower?" How does he even know about showers in the first place? "There's also the smell this may cause, salt water isn't very kind after all. More so when brought in from the water itself." Someone didn't mind pointing out a few things.
Like how much trouble this was likely to bring on the man. Why point it out? Why not point it out.
Did sink in the water as best he could, tail curled over the end of it a bit as fins almost idly twitched while in the air there. Leaning back against the tub itself was enough to support his back, tied back hair hanging over it as well.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2019-10-25 04:52 pm (UTC)Hell, even he wouldn't remember exactly what happened, a blow enough to knock him out and leave him to the mercy of the ocean itself.
Blood stained the sand as the tide left him on some beach, a cove of sorts, tangled in a mess of seaweed and what was left of some thick roped net. Skin and scale both ripped through, deep gashes along his form, hair matted to part of his forehead both from drying seawater and the amount of blood from where skin had split from the hit taken hard enough to render him unconscious still. Dumped by the sea like some lifeless animal carcass that had been too buoyant to sink and instead been caught on tide then waves to end up there.
Unmoving.
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Date: 2019-10-25 06:00 pm (UTC)Sleep wasn't an easy concept to grasp these days, so he was usually out before light, before even the other fishermen had left the warmth of their houses. He walked along the rough shoals, letting the cold hostile wind churn up his short hair even as he pulled his collar higher on his jacket. The walk was good for him, eased an unwelcomed energy that pervaded him many hours of every day.
And finding dead or wounded animals wasn't out of his scope. It's why he always carried supplies with him in a pack as he walked. Bucket, tarp, shovel, flares and rifle and shot. There was no point letting a creature suffer after all, but if he could save them, he would. He'd taken enough life to want to put a hand forward to save what he could.
So when he saw a fleshy lump in the distance, he thought it was a porpoise or some other type of creature. It wasn't until he drew closer that the shape was all wrong, the length of body, the fact there was hair that drew him to a stop. That wasn't any kind of sea creature he had seen before, and he'd made certain to do his research before coming out to these parts.
At the local watering hole, there was of course old fisherman's tales. People of these parts were very superstitious, so the fact there was an old wive's tale of an ancient creature that was half man, half fish wasn't unusual. He'd taken it with a grain of salt, but there had been times when he arrived that he thought he had seen something in the shadow of his boat as he struggled to learn what he had to about the sea in calm and rough waters.
Jack approached cautiously until he was staring down at the very tale he hadn't believed lay right in front of him. There was blood, a lot of it, and those wounds needed tending. The tail aspect that was in water was already being picked at by sea creatures like crabs and fish who were opportunistic. He slowly crouched and reached out to touch cold skin and he was immediately able to pick up a slow but steady pulse.
"I'll be damned," he muttered as he looked over the impressive man... fish, thing? Merman, wasn't it? Either way, this creature was alive and badly injured. "Guess I can't call conservation about you, can I?"
For some reason, he also wasn't of the opinion he could call on the other fishermen and their families either. Like this was something special. Normally, he wouldn't care, but there was a jarring sense of familiarity when he looked at that face. No, this was for him to deal with.
He tarped what he could of the tail, securing it up closer to the body and using a thermal blanket around the body to both prevent blood from getting everywhere and to keep the merman warm. Add some extra water in both and then he was putting his 'catch of the day' across his shoulders and trudging back to the town and his shore front house. It was still early enough where people were just starting their day when he forced his way back into his house as quietly as possible.
Through his small house, and he was depositing his catch into the bathtub. He plugged it, kept the thermal blanket on and then took his buckets and went down to the ocean to haul up water to fill the tub with. Back and forth until the task was done and then he was rolling up his sleeves, grabbing his extensive first-aid kit and settled in to start stitching up all the long gashes that he could find.
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Date: 2019-10-25 06:25 pm (UTC)Even at first, when the stitching started there was no movement other than the flutter of the gills along his sides in the water, sign enough that he was breathing. A slight rise and fall to his chest as well, eyelids fluttering due to what was slight movement beneath them.
The sea water in the tub was tinting red from all the injuries, the mix of salt and iron hard to miss in such an enclosed space. That was what was starting to pull him out of unconsciousness, tail twitching—
There was a low snarl of warning soon enough, muscles tensing and eyes boring in to the man's skull with the narrowed look locked on him then. Lips curled enough to bare sharp teeth with that noise growing still in his throat.
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Date: 2019-10-25 07:03 pm (UTC)He paused in his work at the low snarl, lifting his eye from the long gash he had been putting back together to stare at the hauntingly familiar but unidentifable face resting against the top of his bathtub. He kept his motions slow and readable as he shifted back to sit up more, fingers still bloodied and holding the suture.
"Easy now," he murmured softly. "You've been badly hurt, and I'm warming you up and putting you back together. I know it hurts, but you're losing a lot of blood. These need to be closed or you might bleed out."
He had no idea what merman spoke honestly. Didn't all the stupid fantasy books give them a language of their own? He understood there was danger here, but he was tired. He knew he could get away well enough. His rifle was nearby if things went sideways, but he would prefer to avoid destroying this massive magnificent creature.
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Date: 2019-10-25 07:39 pm (UTC)Eyes still tracked him as he moved, head still rested against the tub with how tired he felt. Weak due to that blood loss, and he could smell it in the water. Hell, most of what he could smell was his own blood with how much of it covered him still.
His nose wrinkled a bit- "The get it over with," croaked, voice rough from either disuse or how much time he spent in saltwater; hell, even possibly due to whatever the hell put him in the condition he was in. Maybe even a mix of it all. Showed that he could speak at least, and also understood.
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Date: 2019-10-25 08:22 pm (UTC)His eyebrows drew together sharply at the fact this merman spoke to him. The words were formed if croaked, as if this creature wasn't used to speaking at all, which made sense. He stared at him for a long quiet moment.
"Do you know what attacked you?"
He slowly eased in again, continued to suture up the gash with deft motions. Four down, two more to go. He worked on the next long one and had a single shorter one left after that. He kept one eye on his work and one on the merman. "I'll change your water once I'm done here. Is this... enough?"
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Date: 2019-10-25 08:37 pm (UTC)At least he had relaxed in the tub, making it easier to stitch him up rather than if he kept tensed up. His head was still spinning, ached deeply even and there'd no doubt be some dark bruising where he had been hit. Worry about that later, but a reason he let his eyes close. Even the slightest bit of light felt like it was making the ache worse, lance through his skull with a harsh throb.
Felt worse that actively being stitched back up, really-
"I can breathe air, but not letting me dry out will help me."
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Date: 2019-10-25 08:43 pm (UTC)He put that thought to rest to investigate later. He had friends in the Navy that he could reach out to, as well as those in R&D. For now, it was better that he stitch up his new housemate. That was priority, and he did it well, sealing up the last of the lacerations. No point bandaging them.
The wounds on the tail he cleaned out of sand and debris, but most of those were shallow enough to be allowed to heal. His fingers stroked over scales, feeling the smooth richness of them as he worked. He tried to be careful and delicate about that part at least.
"Sorry I don't have a bigger tub, so this will have to do."
no subject
Date: 2019-10-25 08:53 pm (UTC)In his own ways he was, no matter how injured it wouldn't take much for him to injure any human, but the fact he was cooperating was at least some silent acceptance of the help being given. Couldn't exactly say it was trust, but perhaps it was hard to tell given just how much of an unknown he was; could just be the way of them.
His nose wrinkled a bit. "Better than nothing, and it's warm."
no subject
Date: 2019-10-25 11:45 pm (UTC)He didn't exactly have marine biologists on his call list, so they were going to make do with what they had. Rest, fresh sea water and probably some food would be about what might kick-start off this relationship in a glowing way. Who knew at this point.
"You're welcome," he murmured as he cleaned the last few gashes in that tail. That done, he gathered up his supplies and neatly stored them back in his medical kit pack. "Do you need to eat? I have some fish if you're hungry."
no subject
Date: 2019-10-26 06:34 pm (UTC)"Fish would be good, yes." He was hungry and would definitely accept fish- "Raw or cooked, whichever you feel like giving to me."
Doubted it would be freshly caught by his tone, but always wasn't too terribly bothered by the thought. Not about to be picky with how he felt, shifting enough as eyes re-opened, looking over some of the stitching done. Not pulling or tugging, just brushing clawed fingers along the areas briefly.
no subject
Date: 2019-10-28 01:27 pm (UTC)"Alright, I have some catch from yesterday," he murmured. He hadn't gone out today yet, so it wouldn't be at peak freshness.
Rising from the chair he had, he walked to fridge that he had and pulled out a big salmon he had caught the day before. He had de-boned it, as he had been planning on finishing making filets today, but no matter. He brought it back on a plate and offered it to his new house guest. Raw but cold, he had no idea how much a merman actually ate.
"Here, it's yours. If you need more than this, tell me."
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Date: 2019-10-28 09:49 pm (UTC)While the man was away, he shifted enough in the tub to get himself into a more comfortable position; sitting up more than he was, getting more of his tail in to the water even if it was tinted with blood still. The salt water was felt, but it was something very familiar that it was only a light stinging reminder of hos injured he was.
No matter, he would heal well enough. A hand lifting to his head, feeling and peeling hair away from his head, claws working enough to untangle the matting hair and get a clear touch of the injury there. Skin definitely split, but not deep; hadn't stopped it from bleeding badly, more irritated than not. Glancing up at the approach, hand lowering from the injury as he took the plate carefully.
The plate was rested down where flesh met scales at his waist, the fish lifted- "Thank you," was all said before those sharp teeth easily ripped in to the fish. Eating slowly all the same.
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Date: 2019-10-30 04:44 am (UTC)Of course, there were old wive's tales about mermaids in these parts. He never paid much mind to them, though maybe he should have given he was currently housing a merman in his house. He doubted either of them would want to spectacle of that being revealed. No, he liked to think that they were both painfully private.
"If you want, I can arrange to take you back to the sea tonight if that would make you more comfortable," he murmured. "Otherwise, you're welcome to stay until you are fully healed again."
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Date: 2019-10-30 05:00 am (UTC)The last strip of meat was downed, head tilted to have an eye settled on the man, silent for a moment-
"That wouldn't be a good idea, given my condition and that I don't know if the waters have settled yet. Injured like this I would have to keep closer than I'd like to shore," very private. There was also the worry of more of his blood in the water no matter how well stitched injuries were, rather not attract attention that way either.
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Date: 2019-11-01 09:26 pm (UTC)Jack nodded his head, interlacing his fingers together in front of him and figuring that would be the answer. He was supposed to head out with the favourable seas, but that likely wasn't going to happen now that he was here and with a half-fish man in his tub. "Well, stay today and tomorrow at least."
He would head out later to have a look around for disturbances in the water and maybe a source for these injuries. There might be other sea creatures suffering because of it. "I'll head out in a few hours when the tide goes and see if there are any answers for you. Maybe a few catches as well, since I'll admit, I'm not used to feeding two these days."
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Date: 2019-11-02 12:50 am (UTC)There was a bad storm coming, could sense it in his bones. Might come this close inland, but that was one of the reasons he'd been out hunting in the first place. Had planned to capture enough alive to bring back with him to his territory that he could wait it out.
His head tipped to one side. "I'll likely rest while you're out."
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Date: 2019-11-02 04:34 pm (UTC)He took the plate and tucked it under his arm casually. He knew he was going to have to change the water soon, bloodied as it was. Salt water would definitely help with wounds, but damn it might rot out his pipes if he kept sending it down there. Oh well, it was for a good cause, right?
"Before I head, I'll change the water. It can't be that comfortable sitting in it as it is," he said and rose to his feet again. Bustling and puttering were normal for him, kept his mind off of things so he didn't have to remember. He turned to take the plate away and stopped. "I'm Jack, by the way. Feel free to call on me when I'm in the house."
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Date: 2019-11-02 09:47 pm (UTC)He could wait, for a while at least, though he might have to do something at the aspect of possibly being stuck in such a small thing of water for so long. Bring up an old trick not used for years, but that would have to take a lot of thought- or enough to weigh other options if he was going to be a 'guest' for as long as he may need to be. That was fine, could manage if it was truly going to be needed.
His nose wrinkled, lips pressed in to a thin line for only a moment. "You're not wrong, no." Not comfortable at all, but it had been necessary for the process- "Jack. Alright," no name given in turn, yet. If he even had one could even be the question.
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Date: 2019-11-03 05:14 pm (UTC)Maybe he was intrigued by the creature.
"I'm going to haul more fresh water for you now. It shouldn't take me long, and we'll change it up." He left without further word either.
For Jack, hauling water was just another part of physical routine. He was stronger than other men, so he had no trouble dragging large quantities up to his cabin, wind messing up his short silvered hair. He might look like a man in his forties, but he was all white and had been for a long while. It didn't matter. Physically, he could do more than anyone around these parts.
So it really didn't take him long to haul the ocean water, even if he received a few odd looks as he did so. He stepped in, hauling a massive thick plastic barrel on one shoulder to the bathroom.
"Right, you'll have to pull the plug which should be somewhere by your tail. Or I can. It will empty the tub and I'll refill it with this."
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Date: 2019-11-03 10:51 pm (UTC)Gave him time to better look around the bathroom itself, pulling the blanket off of him and letting it hang over the side of the tub. Dripping on the floor yes, but he wasn't of a mind to much care about that. Hauling himself to sit on the edge of the tub a bit, more of his tail in the bloodied sea water; a better position to look, even if there wasn't that much to see.
And would be how he was found, albeit tying his hair back with something, long and curled since it had dripped dry just enough to get a spring back. Watching Jack from the corner of an eye-
Before he was leaning over and pulling the plug for the water to drain.
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Date: 2019-11-05 05:39 am (UTC)He stepped closer to watch the tub drain, expecting that being exposed to room air wouldn't actually be a problem since he had carried the other as far as he had without the benefit of water.
Once the tub was empty again, he gestured with a hand. "Alright, plug back in so I can fill it again. This water should be cleaner now that we've treated your wounds."
When the plug was replaced, Jack began to systematically refill the tub with buckets of hauled salt water. "Better?"
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Date: 2019-11-05 05:49 am (UTC)That tail of his sort of curled against the empty bottom of the tub, only moving to press the plug back in to place. Kept himself perched, only sinking back down bodily in to that tub once there was enough water in. All the better to not over-fill it with him in it.
Fingers moved through the seawater slowly, swirling it almost idly at his side. "Better. Having me here is going to cause you some inconveniences."
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Date: 2019-11-05 05:54 am (UTC)He set the bucket aside and shrugged his shoulders at the comment. Not a lot of people paid him that much mind, mostly because he had come here keeping to himself. He wasn't unfriendly, but he wasn't welcoming either.
"Ah well, I'm not big on baths anyway. A scrub down in a bucket isn't the worst thing I've had to do for hygiene." He ignored all the other complications for now. He figured he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.
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Date: 2019-11-05 06:02 am (UTC)Like how much trouble this was likely to bring on the man. Why point it out? Why not point it out.
Did sink in the water as best he could, tail curled over the end of it a bit as fins almost idly twitched while in the air there. Leaning back against the tub itself was enough to support his back, tied back hair hanging over it as well.
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